East Suffolk to bring in motorhome parking (charged) in council owned carparks

REC

REC

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East Suffolk Council is investing £1 million in car park infrastructure, including new contactless payment terminals, EV chargers, new cycle racks and signage, as well as introducing a suite of new parking tariffs in the district.

As part of an annual review of its fees and charges, the Council has agreed to retain the 30 minutes free parking available in many council-owned car parks and to introduce several new tariffs to reduce congestion at peak times.

New tariffs will also be introduced to allow campervans and motorhomes, HGVs and coaches to park in designated car parks in the district, with limitations on the length of stay.

The new parking fees, which were agreed at a meeting of East Suffolk Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 7 January, also incl parking costs for the first time since 2020. Despite increased costs for running the parking service, parking costs have remained unchanged in council-owned car parks for four years.
 
A quick read, and you soon realise councils are in a strange situation with 'van' parking.
For example take a L3H2 Ducato panel van, this very popular vehicle could be a 'light commercial vehicle', a 'heavy commercial vehicle', a 'van with windows', a 'motor caravan', a 'minibus', or an 'emergency vehicle'. So what is the same basic vehicle is treated differently depending on a couple of words in the logbook.
 
£20 for a car park for 24hrs.

Motor Caravans – Up to 24 Hours - £20.00 Maximum Stay 3 Days, No return within 7 Days
 
“motor caravan”
Means vehicles of Vehicle Certification Agency type approval M1 constructed to include accommodation space, containing at least: seats and table, sleeping accommodation, cooking facilities, and storage facilities; such equipment to be rigidly fixed to the living compartment of the vehicle.

9) Cooking, camping or overnight sleeping is not permitted within the boundaries of a parking place, regardless of whether this activity involves the use of a vehicle,unless; the cooking, camping or overnight sleeping is done only within a vehicle classified as a motor caravan, the vehicle is parked in a designated motor caravan parking bay within a parking place where the parking of motor caravans is permitted and, subject to the Schedules of this Order, the appropriate parking charge has been paid for the parking of a motor caravan.


16 Motor Caravans(1) Where, within a parking place, a parking bay or area is designated for motor caravans only, no person shall cause or permit a vehicle to wait or be left within that parking bay or area unless a) The vehicle is a motor caravan, with a length not exceeding 8 metres; and(b) The appropriate parking charge for a motor caravan, as specified within the Schedules of this Order, has been paid for the parking period; and Page 16 of 53(c) The parking period does not exceed any maximum stay or commence within any no return period following a previous parking period specified within the Schedules of this Order as being applicable to motor caravans.(2) No awning, gazebo, tent or temporary structure of any kind shall be erected,extended or otherwise placed within a parking place except with the prior written consent of the Council.(3) No motor caravan shall park in any parking bay within a parking place unless it isa parking bay designated for the use of motor caravans only
 
Fazerloz said:
Maximum Stay 3 Days, No return within 7 Days
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Unlike councils with a 2 day max they have thought about you spending locally.
Day 1 arrive / Day 2 spend money in the town / Day 3 leave.

Of course a longer max stay would mean even more local spending.
 
r4dent said:
Unlike councils with a 2 day max they have thought about you spending locally.
Day 1 arrive / Day 2 spend money in the town / Day 3 leave.

Of course a longer max stay would mean even more local spending.
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Then they would be more likely to turn into campsites like Scabby etc. and not necessarily more spending other than the parking fee assuming it would be left empty and no one was wanting to jump in the vacated space.
 
alcam said:
Probably being petty but I do resent paying more for parking overnight than other vehicles.
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Same price for HGV. and other vehicles you are not allowed to sleep etc. If they are not used I bet they don't care as they can always say they have provided spaces but you don't use them.
 
Fazerloz said:
Same price for HGV. and other vehicles you are not allowed to sleep etc. If they are not used I bet they don't care as they can always say they have provided spaces but you don't use them.
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Is it same price for a 6m ducato van and a 6m ducato campervan ?
 
Fazerloz said:
“motor caravan”
Means vehicles of Vehicle Certification Agency type approval M1 constructed to include accommodation space, containing at least: seats and table, sleeping accommodation, cooking facilities, and storage facilities; such equipment to be rigidly fixed to the living compartment of the vehicle.
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I wonder what constitutes 'rigidly fixed'?
The beds on our van can be lifted to one side, or removed from the vehicle, without use of any tools, there is not even any form of clip or suchlike holding them in position, just gravity.
 
Similar with ours the table is not fixed in any way, Totally free standing but it is a motor caravan on the V5C
 
colinm said:
I wonder what constitutes 'rigidly fixed'?
The beds on our van can be lifted to one side, or removed from the vehicle, without use of any tools, there is not even any form of clip or suchlike holding them in position, just gravity.
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This highlights the grey area we are in with our demountable motorhome. The MH unit has everything you expect, all fixed, sleeping, cooking, toilet etc all rigidly fixed and plumbed in. BUT the whole thing can be detached from the truck. So one day it is a motorhome, the next day it is a plain ordinary pickup truck.

B
 
Fazerloz said:
Yes but you are allowed to sleep, cook etc. Other vehicles are not.
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Get that but that makes no difference to the provider of the parking space .
I do often park in these kind of spaces though I think it is an unfair charge .
As I said originally, probably being petty.
 
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